Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Project Nature, #1/50 Checklist of Florida's Birds

I have always loved birds! I have decided to practice and improve my photography skills, and have embarked on a new project: The Wings Over Florida program awards certificates at five achievement levels to bird watchers who report their life lists to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission's Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.  The above image, Reddish Egret, Egretta rufescens, is the beginning.  I hope to learn about nature & birds, while enjoying the Florida weather and take my photography skills up a level. This is IMAGE #1.

Interesting facts:
Intermediate in size between the larger Great Egret and medium sized herons.  There are two distinct color phases, a dark phase, which is grayish overall, with the head and neck reddish-brown, and a wholly white morph.  The best field marks are its larger size and the black tipped bill, pinkish at the base.  It generally appears to have a ruffled appearance; its habit of dancing or prancing through shallow water in search of prey is immediately recognizable.  It is an uncommon year-round resident of the coastal mudflats of southern Florida.